Because of the massive changes in ski equipment technology through the years and the development of snowboarding as a mainstream sport, the techniques that were taught then vary enormously from what you will find today.
Skiing as a sport grew relatively slowly until the outbreak of the Second World War when skiing became a useful form of transport in the fight against invasion, especially in Norway and Finland.
As the sport grew after the Second World War and people once again become more affluent, winter resorts started to establish themselves across Europe and North America. Small towns and villages in Alpine regions transformed themselves from farming communities into major tourist destinations in a short space of time. The demand for skiing instructors grew and local people spent their winters becoming better skiers and gaining employment from the skiing school that established itself in the resort.
In the French winter resorts the Ecole Du Ski Française was established in 1937 by Emile Allais and directly after the war quickly established itself as the dominant force. Linked directly with the government the E.S.F had the advantage of being able to act as one organisation even though it operated out of many different resorts. Today there are over 200 ski schools and 16,000 instructors who work across France in the many winter resorts.
During the last decade there has been a proliferation of skiing schools and private ski instructors in France and the rest of The Alps. With European regulation it is possible to establish a skiing school or work as an instructor providing you have the relevant qualifications. France has some of the most demanding regulations of any country when it comes to ski schools and instructors. Many people want to become ski instructors in France and for this reason, strict demands are placed on anyone who wishes to legally teach skiing in the French Alps or Pyrenees.
The International Ski Instructors Association (ISIA) regulates many countries official ski instructor bodies including those in France, Switzerland, Austria and Great Britain. The purpose of the ISIA is to consolidate the standards of all its member countries to ensure the quality of instruction remains high. The ISIA badge is given to only the highest qualified ski instructors, although in some countries like France and Italy, there are extra stipulations required to be able to teach legally. These include further mountain safety exams and speed tests, usually a slalom race against the clock that requires an athlete to battle their skills against an ex national ski team member, this is one of the toughest tests, requiring great mental, physical and technical ability, the prospective instructor must come within a percentage of the national ski team members time who sets the pace on the day in the ski race course, not for the faint hearted!. In the past this has proven to be controversial although now it is widely recognised as being beneficial for the both the instructors and the clients themselves.
Rob Stewart
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